Can Books Save Trees?

Event Information

The panellists will talk about how books have inspired them to notice, value and protect trees, and how urban trees figure in their own work. 

The discussion is chaired by Peter Fiennes, who will be in conversation with Gio Iozzi and Paul Wood.

Tree campaigner and writer Gio Iozzi will talk about the nature writing she loves and how words can engage and inspire people to take direct action, including trying to protect trees in their own areas. As the climate and biodiversity crises worsen, the best nature writing should be a call to arms, inspiring humans to take steps to protect our fellow species in the natural world. 

Paul Wood will discuss the writers that have inspired him, and what he hopes his own work writing about trees in London and beyond can achieve.

Contributors

Peter Fiennes is the author of four non-fiction books, including the critically acclaimed Oak and Ash and Thorn: the ancient trees and new forests of Britain. His latest is A Thing of Beauty: travels in mythical and modern Greece. You can sometimes find him on twitter @pfiennes, most often talking about trees…

Gio Iozzi is a writer and campaigner who founded the Haringey Tree Protectors, a group of residents who fight to protect mature trees in north London. Her latest story, ‘Tipping,’ explores the menopause and the climate crisis and is published by Brick Lane Books. She is working on a collection of crisis-inspired short stories and a non-fiction long form piece on the campaign to fight the felling of a 120-year-old plane tree in Haringey, north London. She tweets about trees @justplanenews. Email HTP group at haringeytreeprotectors@gmail.com 

You can find Gio’s writing at joiozzi.com

Paul Wood is the author of three books about London’s urban forest, London’s Street Trees, London Tree Walks and London is a Forest. He is the editor of the Great Trees of London Map, and he is working on a book of 1,000 great urban trees across Britain and Ireland. Find him on social media @TheStreetTree and sign up to his Substack where he will be posting a Daily Urban Tree throughout the Festival.

Event location

The Gallery, 70 Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6EJ

Thanks to our partner, CPRE London, for hosting this event